HEY BIG SPENDERS
The Premier League flexed its collective financial muscles to spend a record-breaking £870m in the summer transfer window – a 4% rise on last year’s sum. Of the total spent, £585m was outlaid recruiting talent from overseas and £285m went to EPL and Football League clubs. After the EPL, the resurgent Serie A was the window’s next highest roller with £405m spent – ahead of La Liga (£400m), Bundesliga (£290m) and Ligue 1 (£220m). The EPL’s increased TV rights deal comes into into play next season and means Prem clubs transfer window budgets will easily surpass £1bn
TECHNO, TECHNO, TECHNO, TECHNO!
EPL Champions Chelsea and Manchester United have become the latest clubs to sign global partnerships with IT services providers to develop digital initiatives to improve engagement with fans worldwide. Chelsea’s technology tie-up with Indian company Wipro and United’s union with Indian corporation HCL follow deals for German IT giants SAP with City Football Group announced in July and a 10 year partnership between Real Madrid & Microsoft, signed in May. Clubs face a challenge as they seek to monitise international fans as a revenue stream. United lead the way with 659 million global followers, but scalable opportunities exist at all major European league clubs.
CHEERS TO CHANG’S 11 YEARS AT EVERTON!
Industry mag FC Business includes an interview with Chang Global Sales Director Kevin Ng and Everton Chief Exec Robert Elstone celebrating the success of the Thai lager brand’s sponsorship of the Merseyside club. Chang has enjoyed year on year growth since the partnership began in 2004 and Ng credits The Toffees deal with: “successfully launching the brand into the international spotlight.” Activation initiatives have included CSR fundraising following the 2004 Tsunami disaster, annual visits to Thailand by EFC coaches & officials as well as a multi-market ‘money can’t buy’ promotion for fans to experience the life of an Everton first-team star. Also this week, Chang has week penned a 3-year extension to its partnership with Barcelona which sees FCB imagery appear on packaging and promotional campaigns across South East Asia.
HAT-TRICK FOR INDOSAT
Indonesian telecom operator Indosat has dialled up its presence in European football with two-year Official Telecom Partner deals with at Arsenal, Barcelona and Inter Milan. Indosat, who are Indonesia’s 2nd largest cellular operator, will use exclusive video content & promotions to target new customers and engage 55 million existing subscribers – a mutual benefit for the clubs in providing a further channel to reach overseas fans. An Arsenal statement revealed Indonesia is the most-represented country amongst the club’s Facebook fans and recent research from SportQuake shows Indonesian fans contributed the 4th highest volume of social media mentions about the EPL opening weekend.
LOVE ME TENDER
The Chinese national football team, which released a tender for sponorship opportunities in May, has acquired two new partners on 4 year deals. Automotive brand Changan Ford, who are already Official Premier Partner of China’s domestic Super League, have also become Team China’s Presenting Partner thanks to a deal worth £5m per year. Guandong-based smartphone makers Gionee have also joined and will pay £2.5m annually. Team China’s ambitions to qualify for the World Cup are certainly well backed – in January this year, the team also switched kit supplier from adidas to Nike on a 12-year contract worth £10m per season.
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